Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Avion truck campers

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Topic: Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos

Posted By: Avion C-11 on 02/12/12 01:45pm

Detail work before lowering the stand.
Feb12

This week we finished up some details before we lowered the stand to start polishing the roof. The plan was to get that done this weekend too but the cold weather took a day of work away from us.

We worked on polishing the under side of the wings.

I also pulled out the propane box and started getting that ready to go in. I can’t wait to finally plug that hole!

Left side wing polished:
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This is the battery/power supply vent in the left wing.
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The old screen was torn and rotten and needed to be replaced.
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It cleaned up well but is still pitted.
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Temproed and screwed in place.
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Underside of the wings are deanodized and ready to polish. In this pic some polishing already done.
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This is is one method we have figured for polishing the underside of the wings.
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This is the propane box door deanodized and ready to polish.
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Here it is with a first polish on it. Polishing the louvers is much easier with a little experience this time around.
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This is the propane door latch, which started off pretty rough.
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But ended up pretty nice.
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That's it for this week!

Happy Camping!

Avioncamper.wordpress.com

Posted By: 67avion on 02/12/12 06:14pm

I have to say that it looks exhausting - and beautiful as well. However, I think you've almost convinced me that a beautiful exterior coat of paint is the way to go.

Posted By: Avion C-11 on 02/12/12 06:30pm

Wouldn't paintwork on this e the same amount of work?

* This post was edited 02/12/12 06:49pm by Avion C-11 *

Posted By: ticki2 on 02/12/12 07:56pm

Avion C-11 wrote:

Wouldn't paintwork on this e the same amount of work?

Not even close . But the real difference is the up keep , with paint you're done . This is not intended to discourage you , if that is the look you want then that is what you should have .

'68 Avion C-11
'02 GMC DRW D/A flatbed

Posted By: Camper_Jeff_&_Kelli on 02/12/12 11:34pm

Your camper makes me think of this beauty!
From this web page, Boeing 307.

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Camper Jeff and Kelli's Blog!
CITAP1 Jeff's YouTube Channel
A CLOSED MOUTH GATHERS NO FEET!

Posted By: Avion C-11 on 02/13/12 11:34am

My camper is primarily going to be used at flying events so that is exactly the look I'm shooting for.

Posted By: Avion C-11 on 02/13/12 11:41am

ticki2 wrote:

Avion C-11 wrote:

Wouldn't paintwork on this e the same amount of work?

Not even close . But the real difference is the up keep , with paint you're done . This is not intended to discourage you , if that is the look you want then that is what you should have .

Hell I'm more encouraged than ever! A couple more weekends and the polishing will be done. The polishing/deanodizing started Jan 4th working only 1 or 2 days a week I don't think it took that long.

Posted By: Avion C-11 on 03/04/12 02:15pm

I have been away from the camper project for a couple weeks doing some traveling and today we got back to work. It has been raining a lot lately and I have discovered more leaks that need fixing.

One leak was in a gouge through the skin up front. There were actually two gouges but only one leaked. I was going to patch those anyway so I went ahead and did that today. We finally got the air compressor moved to the back yard so I can do normal riveting. I think I will go back and change out the rivets on all my other patches too while I can.

Another leak is in the windows. Pretty bad leak too. After much watching it rain and leak and a few hose attacks I finally figured out what is going on there too. The water gets in at the corners of the window panes where the window frame has a 45 degree joint and then pools up in the sills. There’s a weep hole in the sills that let it drain to the lowest sill and then out of the camper. Well, that’s what is supposed to happen. What actually happens is most of the water does that and the rest follows gravity away from the weep hole toward the back of the camper and into the wall. I would bet money that most of these windows in C-11s leak in exactly the same fashion. I ordered up the seals and gaskets and will tackle the left side windows next weekend. It will give me a chance to clean them up and polish the frames. I need to decide if I am going to remove the whole window from the camper or fix it in place.

I also ordered up all my LEDs and other lights as well as a hitch extension. This is getting exciting now!

These are the two gouges. The forward one leaked very badly.
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Two patches cut and drilled to cover the gouges.
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Closeup of the forward gouge before mounting the patch.
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The aft gouge.
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Since we buck riveted these we need to get at both sides.
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Clekoed in place and ready for sealer and rivets.
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Same with aft.
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Completed riveting.
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Patches installed but not polished.
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Polishing in progress.
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And now polished.
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That tree scares me.
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And from a distance you can't even see them.
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This is the area where the windows leak. Water comes in the corners and any water in front of the weep hole leaves the camper. Any water aft of the weep hole drains into the wall.
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Till next week..

* This post was edited 03/04/12 02:22pm by Avion C-11 *

Posted By: Steelhog on 03/04/12 09:21pm

Not many folks have Clecos in their tool box! Are you sure you don'y have an A&P ticket and you are really planning to put wings on her?

Posted By: garryk6 on 03/04/12 10:33pm

What type of rivets and rivet tool are you using???

Curious minds need to know...

Thanks,

Garry

Garry K
Wife + 4 kids
Retired Military Family.... Alway's on the move....
2002 F350 CCSB 5.4 6spd 4x4 in AK
1966 Avion C-10 Truck Camper

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